Top Asian News 4:49 a.m. GMT

Beijing’s deflation dilemma: Falling prices signal bigger troubles ahead for China’s economy

BEIJING (AP) — When he bought an apartment near a good high school in northeast Beijing in 2020, Zhou Fujin expected that renting it out would cover most of his mortgage. But the apartment’s value and the rent he is getting have plummeted in the past couple years, straining his family’s finances. China is experiencing a spell of deflation, or falling prices, that contrasts with inflationary pressures prevailing elsewhere in the world. Cheaper prices can be a blessing for some, but deflation is a symptom of relatively weak demand and stalling economic growth. Such challenges are the backdrop to the annual session of China’s parliament, which begins Wednesday.

Philippine fighter jet goes missing while on a mission against insurgents in a southern province

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — A Philippine air force fighter jet with two pilots on board has gone missing during a night combat assault in support of ground forces who were battling insurgents in a southern province, and an extensive search is underway, officials said Tuesday. The FA-50 jet lost communication during the tactical mission with other air force aircraft around midnight Monday before reaching a target area. The other aircraft were able to return safely to an air base in central Cebu province, the air force said without providing other details for security reasons. A Philippine military official told The Associated Press that the incident happened in a southern Philippine province, where an anti-insurgency mission against communist guerrillas was underway.

What to expect when China’s legislature meets this week

BEIJING (AP) — China’s annual major political event gets underway this week, bringing together the nation’s top leaders and thousands of provincial leaders to endorse decisions already made by the all-powerful Chinese Communist Party. The meetings and gathering during the National People’s Congress, expected to last for about a week, are still important. The rubber-stamp parliament retains an important function: to signal the priorities of the government for the coming year and to disseminate instructions to party members and officials across the country. The messaging from leadership appears unchanged from previous years — stay the course on fostering innovation while also spurring domestic consumption.

Taiwan says boost in defense spending coming amid China threats

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Taiwan’s defense minister says the island is planning to boost military spending in the face of the “rapidly changing international situation and the escalating threats from adversaries.” Wellington Koo gave no figures but said President William Lai Ching-te was working with the ministry in consideration of enemy threats and urgent readiness needs, a reference to China’s threats to invade the island, which it considers its own territory. Those would “increase the proportion of the defense budget in relation to GDP,” Koo said, in comments Monday that were embargoed until Tuesday. Taiwan currently spends about 2.45% of its gross domestic product on its military.

Kim’s sister threatens a response to a US carrier’s deployment in South Korea

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — The powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un threatened Tuesday to launch high-profile provocations in response to the arrival of a U.S. aircraft carrier in South Korea and other U.S. military activities, which she slammed as “confrontation hysteria of the U.S. and its stooges.” The warning by Kim Yo Jong implies North Korea will likely ramp up weapons testing activities and maintain its confrontational posture against the U.S., though President Donald Trump has said he would reach out to Kim Jong Un to revive diplomacy. In a statement carried by state media, Kim Yo Jong accused the U.S.

India’s steel industry contemplates potential fallout from Trump administration tariffs

BENGALURU, India (AP) — Rows of small factories line the streets of a dusty suburb in Bengaluru, where workers weld and cast Indian-made steel into everything from car parts to kitchen sinks. Here, U.S. President Trump’s announcement to impose high trade tariffs on steel imports has some unexpected supporters. Many industry workers and experts expect that the result of tariffs will be that cheap steel gets dumped in places like India. That’s because the announced 25% tariff will make it too expensive for many companies in countries like China and South Korea to keep exporting to the U.S. For B. Praveen of Sun Techpro Engineering, which makes products from steel metal sheets, it means his “wafer-thin” profit margins will probably grow as the steel he buys gets cheaper.

AP PHOTOS: Cat owners in Kashmir thrown into a tizzy over viral posts bad-mouthing their pets

SRINAGAR, India (AP) — Cat lovers in Indian-controlled Kashmir were thrown into a tizzy. Panic spread and local veterinarians saw a surge in pet owners coming in with their cats — all because of posts that went viral on social media. It began with a warning in January from veterinarians in the disputed Himalayan region, where the cat population has soared over the past years, partly because of stray cats roaming free and pet stores bringing in ever more costly breeds to keep up with local demand. The vets said there’s been an uptick in infections among the feline population due to lack of vaccination and mishandling of strays.

Afghan and Pakistani forces trade fire at the border as a key crossing remains closed

PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP) — Pakistani and Afghan forces traded fire overnight at a key northwestern border crossing that has been closed for more than a week over a dispute between the two neighbors, officials said Monday. The Interior Ministry in Kabul said one Afghan security personnel was killed and another was injured in the incident at the Torkham crossing, which has been shut for 11 days due to Pakistan disputing Afghanistan’s construction of a new border post there. Both countries have in the past closed Torkham and the southwestern Chaman border crossing, most often over deadly shootings and cross-fire. The crossings are vital for trade and travel between Pakistan and landlocked Afghanistan.

Japan’s 18-year-old Prince Hisahito says he’ll balance royal duties and university studies

TOKYO (AP) — Japan’s Prince Hisahito, the second in line to the throne, held a debut news conference Monday, telling reporters he would try to balance official duties and his university studies and research about the dragonfly. Hisahito turned 18 last September, becoming the first male royal family member to reach adulthood in almost four decades in Japan. It was a significant development for a family that has ruled for more than a millennium but faces the same existential problems as the rest of the nation — a fast-aging, shrinking population. The prince said he would follow the good examples of his uncle, Emperor Naruhito, and other elder members of the imperial family, while pursuing his university studies, beginning next month.

Japan won’t join UN meeting on nuclear weapons ban, citing support for US deterrence

TOKYO (AP) — Japan will not attend a U.N. conference on the treaty banning nuclear weapons, a top government official in Tokyo said Monday, noting U.S. nuclear deterrence is crucial to the country’s security and that its participation would send the “wrong message.” Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said Japan’s national security is the primary reason it will not participate as an observer at the conference, which starts Monday in New York. “Under the severe security environment, nuclear deterrence is indispensable to defend the people’s lives and assets, as well as Japan’s sovereignty and peace,” Hayashi told reporters. Japan’s participation as an observer at the conference would “send a wrong message about the Japanese policy (supporting) nuclear deterrence and interfere with our effort in security, peace and safety.” The U.N.